Record changing device



4 Sheets-Sheet 1 a g), MJQMMW/ [751"] Jaw/51 12:

MW Q M I m mw June 19, Q SCHWARTZ RECORD CHANGING DEVICE Filed Aug. 51

June 19, 1934. c SCHWARTZ RECORD CHANGING DEVICE Filed Aug. 31, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 J QMW 4 Sheet-Sheet 3 c SCHWARTZ RECORD CHANGING DEVICE Filed Aug. 51, 1928 Zijiiifif June 19, 1934.

ax/7444M REGORD CHANGING DEVICE Filed. Aug. 51, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 [i// iiiwf/z Patented June 19, 1934 1.063.214 nsconn cnancmo nnvrcs om scum Elkhart Lake, Wis "an", by I mesne assignments. to Radio Corporation of America, NewYol-k, N. 1.,

Delaware a corporation of Application AW 31, 1928, Serial No. 308,235

19 Claims. (cl. 214-16) This invention relates particularly to a device for changing disc type records used in phonographs and the like and contemplates as an obiect the provision of means for automatically- 6 removing a record from the turntable of a'phonograph at the completion thereof and depositing another one thereon.

Heretofore, various record changing devices have been employed; but all have been more or less cumbersome entailing the use of numerous intricate mechanisms which greatly increase the cost thereof and generally prove undesirable. Therefore, it is another object of this invention to provide a device of the character described which is constructed with a minimum number of parts and one in which the various operations are positively performed in a simple manner. Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a device of the character described in which a stack of records moves horizontally across the turntable of a phonograph, picking -up the record then on the turntable and depositing the lowermost record of the stack on the turntable.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a movable carriage having a partition across which records are moved from the turntable onto the carriage, the top of the partition being tapered towards the center whereby so the records rest only on their outer peripheries during their sliding movement over the partition to protect their surfaces.

A further object of this invention resides in the provision of a device of the character described in which means are actuated by the tone arm of the phonograph or an electrical pick-up at the completion of the record for closing the electric circuit of an operating motor which drives the mechanism which removes the record on the 4aturntable and deposites a new one.

. A further object of this invention resides in the provision of means for raising the tone arm of a phonograph or the support of an electrical pick-up at the completion of arecord, moving the same to its proper starting position and in lowering it at the proper time.

And a still further object of this invention resides in the provision of a magnetic brake which insures the stopping of the mechanism at the proper instant.

' With the above and other objects in view which will appear as'the description proceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come withinthe scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof,

and in which:

Figure l is atop planjview of a record changing device embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through Figure 1 on the plane of the line 2-2; Figure3isaviewsimilartoFigure2ofthe turn table end of the device illustrating the parts at the end of their forward stroke;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken through Flg- ,ure 1 on the plane of the line 4-4;

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken through Figure 1 on the plane of the line 5-5;

Figure 6 is a view with parts-in section and parts in elevation taken through Figure '5 on the plane of the line 66;

Figure '1 is a fragmentary detail view of the magnetic brake, and

Figure 8 is a cross sectional view taken through Figure 1 on the plane of line 8-8.

In the illustrative embodiment a magazine,

shown as a carriage holding a vertical stack of horizontally arranged records, is normally arranged at one side of a turntable, and is moved a in an operating cycle transversely across the turntable and back to original position substantially with a wipingv action relative to the turntable, transferring a record on the turntable to the top of the stack and depositing a record from the bottom of the stack onto the turntable during the operating cycle.

Referring now more particularly to theaccompanying drawings in which like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views,

the numeral 10 represents a mounting base or table which provides a suitable support for the mechanism, being preferably mounted in a cabinet or the like, not shown.

A' carriage 11 is horizontally movable over the base 10 and over a 'tumtable 12.mounted adjacent one end of the base, the carriage 11 carrying a plurality of stacked records 13 so that as the carriage moves over the turntable the lowermost record is deposited thereon and the upper records are removed by the return stroke of the carriage, as illustrated in Figure 2. Thecarriage 11 is substantially U shaped with the radius of its closed end 14 a little larger than that of a record for which the device is designed and having a cross-bar or partition 15 connecting its sides 16. The partition 15 is spaced from the closed end .14 a distance substantially equal to the diameter of the records to form a record receiving pocket in which the records are stacked: a shelf 17 extending inwardly from the closed end 14 and the sides 16 providing a support for the stacked records as will be readily apparent.

The outer ends of the carriage sides 16 are suitably supported by guides 18 secured to the under side thereof and slidably received in guideways 19 mounted adjacent the sides of the base 10. The closed end of the carriage has a member 20 secured thereto, the lower end of which extends through a longitudinal slot 21 in the base 10 and is provided with a pair of spaced tubular guides 22 in which a screw 23 is freely rotatably and slidably received. The screw 23 is provided with crossed right and left threads 24 and is rotatably mounted at its inner end in a bearing 25 secured to the under side of the base 10 and at its outer end in a bearing 26 likewise carried by the base. The outer end of the screw shaft carries a drive pulley 27 which is connected with a pinion 28 by a strap or belt 29, the pinion being fixed to the shaft of a motor 30 suitably supported from the under side of the base plate and spaced therefrom by lugs .or studs 31.

The crossed right and left threads of the screw shaft receive a follower 32 carried by a stud 33 pivotally mounted in an aperture 34 in the member 20, which is yieldably urged to engagement with the screw thread 24 by an expansile spring 35 confined between the upper end of the stud 33 and the lower end of a screw 36 threaded in the outer end of the aperture 34. As the right and left threads 24 are continuousone with the other at the ends thereof it will be readily ap-. parent that upon rotation of the screw shaft the followerv 32 is moved first forwardly to the end of one thread carrying with it the carriage 11 and then back again to its starting position. This construction obviates the necessity of providing a reversible motor or of providing a complicated reversing drive mechanism for the carriage.

The length of the base 10 is substantially equal to twice the diameter of the records 13 and the turntable 12 is suitably mounted adjacent the end opposite the screw 23 upon a shaft 37 which extends downwardly through an aperture in the base and is rotatably mounted in a bracket 38 suitably secured to the under side of the base and having a worm wheel 39 fixed thereto. The worm wheel 39 meshes with a worm 40 carried by the shaft of a drive motor 41 which is provided with a governor 42 by which the speeed of the turntable may be regulated as is customary in electrically driven turntables. The motor 41 is supported from the under side of the base in any suitable manner and drives the turntable continuously during the operation of the device, receiving its current through line conductors 43 and 44 with which conductors 45 and 46 are connected, a switch 47 being inserted in series with the conductor 46 to provide means for starting and stopping the motor.

The current supply to the motor 30 is also received by the conductors 43 and 44 and the starting and stopping of the motor is governed by a switch mechanism 48 which opens and closes a pair of contacts 49 and 50, in amanner to be later described. The conductor 44 is connected with the contact 49 through a conductor 51 and when the contacts 49 and 50 are electrically engaged the current passes from the contact 49 to the contact 50, then through a conductor 51 to one side of the motor, through the motor and through a conductor 52 to the line conductor 43. Closing of the contacts 49 and 50 also closes the circuit of a magnetic brake 53 which when deenergized arrests the motion of the drive pulley 2'7 in a manner to be later described and when energized permits free rotation thereof, the magthe contacts 49 and 50 preferably by moving the netic brake receiving its current from the line conductor 44 through conductor 51, contact 49 to contact 50, through conductor 54, through the coil of the magnetic brake, through a conductor 55 and through a suitable resistance element 56 where the current for the coil of the magnetic brake is reduced to its proper value and out through the conductor 43. Thus it will be seen that whenever the contacts 49 and 50 are elec trically engaged, the motor 30 is connected with a source of supply and likewise the magnetic brake is released due to the energization of its coil.

Assuming that no record is present on the turntable and it is desired to operate the device, a plurality of records are placed in the record carrying pocket of the carriage 11 and the switch 47 for the turntable drive is closed. The switch closing mechanism 48 is then actuated to close tone arm 57 in the event the device is used with a phonograph, or the supporting arm of an electric pick-up, to the position it normally assumes at the completion of a record; movement of the tone arm 5'7 being imparted to the switch closing mechanism 48 through a movable lever member 58.

As the contacts 49 and 50 are engaged the magnetic brake 53 is released and the motor 30 drives the screw 23 in a direction to move the carriage l1 forwardly or to the right with respect to Figures 1 and 2, to a position depicted in Figure 3 with the stack of records 13 carried byjthe carriage directly above the turntable; the pivot pin 59 of the turntable being readily depressible to permit the stack of records to pass thereover.

During this forward stroke of the carriage the stack of records is moved over a pair of stops 60 carried by a member 61 secured by screws or other means 62 to the base 10 at a medial point and as the carriage completes its forward stroke with the stack of records directly above the turntable the records drop the distance between the top of the stops and the turntable depositing the lowermost record onto the turntable. The pivot I pin 59 centers the record thus deposited moving it to a point at which the adjacent edges 63 of the stops are spaced slightly from the periphery of the record.

As the carriage begins its returnstroke, the partition 15 engages and moves all but the lowermost record which is dotted from the carriage and left on the turntable, the edges 63 of the stops 60 holding the same against movement. A pair of downwardly extending lugs 64 are carried by the partition 15 at a point adjacent the stops 60 and are substantially in a common plane with the top edge of the stops to insure all but the lowermost record returning with the carriage.

The carriage then continues its return stroke and at the completion thereof the switch closing mechanism is tripped in a manner to be later described to permit, the contacts 49 and 50 to be with the pivotal mounting 66 of the tone arm. The supportingmember is provided with a recess 67 in which a rack 68 is slidably mounted, the rack having a plate 69 secured thereto by screws '70 or the like which engages the lower periphery of the tone arm and raises the same upon upward movement of the rack.

A pinion '71 meshes with the rack and is fixed to a shaft '72, (see Figure 6,) rotatably mounted in the-supporting member 65 and extending inwardly thereof through a boss '73 to have an actuating lever '74 fixed on its outer end. The actuating lever '74-is positioned substantially vertically whenever the rack-bar 68 is retracted and the tone arm is in its normal playing position, extending into the path of a cain.'75 carried by one side 16 of the carriage 11 so that the cam engages the actuating lever '74 at the initial start I of the forward stroke causing the rack to raise and thus raising the tone arm out-of the path of the partition 15. The length of the cam '75 is such as to retain the actuating lever in itsoperative position throughout substantially the entire operation of the carriagepemiitting the actuating member to return to its inoperative position at a time slightly prior to the. completion of the return stroke of the carriage. As the weight of an electric pick-up is sometimes appreciable, the lowering of the tone arm or electric pick-up is cushioned by means of a dash pct '76 (see'Figure 5) which consists of a well '77 formed in the supporting member 65 in which a pair of pistons '78 and '79 are slidable and which is partially filled with a suitable liquid such as oil or the like. The pistons '78 and '79 are carried by a shaft which has its outer end connected with the tone arm supporting plate 69 by a stud 81 and the lower end of the shaft 80 is reduced in diameter to provide a shoulder 82 against which the piston '78 is engaged being fixed thereto by either pressing the same onto the reduced end of the shaft or any other suitable means.

The diameter of the piston '78 is less than the diameter of the well '77 to permit free movement thereof within the well, whereas the diameter of the piston '79 is such as. to snugly engage the wall of the well. The piston '79, however, is freely slidable on the reduced end of the shaft 80 between the piston '78 and the enlarged end 83 of the shaft and has a plurality of apertures 84 extending therethrough. The upward movement of the shaft 80, with the tone arm carrying plate 69 and the rack is free and unobstructed as the fluid readily passes around the outer periphery of the piston '78 and through the apertures 84 of the piston '79, but the downward movement, is-cushioned bythe engagement of the pistons with each other to close the apertures 84. Further downward movement is then permitted only by the leakage of thefluid between the faces of the pistons '78 and '79 as will be readily apparent.

The engagementof the pistons with each other is the result of loosely fitting the piston '79 on the'reduced end of the shaft 82, and the reluctance of the piston '79 to move in the relatively heavy fluid, so that the piston '78 which is quickly moved downward with the shaft 82 by the weight of the tone arm overtakes the slow moving piston '79 and closes the apertures 84 to cushion weight of the piston '79 causes the same to assume its original position engaging the enlarged end .83 of the shaft. In this manner the lowering of v the tone arm or electric pick-up is cushioned to prevent injury to the record.

After the tone arm 5'7 is raised upon the initial movement of the carriage, it is moved to a posij As the tone arm is raised and rests on the plate 69 it remains in its position engaging the stop 85 throughout the return stroke of the carriage and at the completion of which it is lowered to engageits needle with the record aswill be readily apparent.

The switch actuating mechanism 48 comprises a stationary mounting member 87 fixed to the adjacent guideway 19 and from which a pair of arms 88 and 89 extend upwardly, the upper outer ends of the arms 88 and 89 being provided with aligned apertures 90 in which a rod 91- is freely slidably mounted. The major portion of the surface of the rod is annularly serrated to'providesaw teeth 92 and an expansile spring 93 positioned medially thereon and confined between the inner face of the arm 89 and a stop 94 fixed on the rod normally yieldably maintains the rod with its stop 94 engaging the arm 88.

The actuating member 58 with which the tone arm engages as its needle approaches the end of the record or its central portion consists of a the member 58 toward the tone arm 5'7, being 1 limited in its movement by a stop 100 extending from the lug or projection '73.

Pivotally secured to the upper portion of the member 58 is a. pawl 101, the nose or point of which normally rests on an inclined surface 102 at the outer end of the arm 88 at apointslightly spaced 'above the outermost. periphery of the toothed rod 91 to permit free movement of the rod. Upon actuation of the member 58 by the tone arm or other means against the action of its spring 98 the pawl 101 engages a tooth of the rod 91 and moves the same against the action of its spring 93 projecting its end 103 which is preferably provided with a tipof insulating material outwardly of the arm 89 to electrically engage the contacts 49 and 50 which, as hereining the contacts 49 and 50 by means of a dog 104 mounted in a slot 105 extending through the arm 89 and pivoted thereto, as at 106. An expansile spring 107 positioned in a recess 108 in communication with the slot 105 normally yieldably urges the dog 104 upwardly to engage its point or nose 109 with the serrated or toothed surface'of the rod 91 to hold the rod with its its end 103, projected outwardly to close the contacts 49 and 50.

As hereinbefore described the device may be set in operation by manually moving the tone arm 5'7 to the left with respect to Figures 1 and 2 which moves the rod 91 to close the contacts 49 and 50 which are retained in electrical contact by the dog 104 throughout the forward and return stroke of the carriage, the dog 104 being released upon completion of the return stroke by the engagement of a pivoted detent 110 with a stud 111 carried by an extended arm 112 of the dog. The detent 110 is pivotally carried by a mounting member 113 which is adjustably secured to the upper edge of the adjacent side 16 of the carriage and is arranged to be heldin vertical position by a stop, 114 engaging one side thereof.

The mounting member 113 is so positioned on the carriage that the detentis to the left of the lug 111 carried by the dog 104 when the carriage is in its normal position and as the stop 114 is at the forward side of the detent during the forward stroke of the carriage the detent is free to be moved on its pivot by the lug 111 during the forward stroke but is held against movement during the return stroke of the carriage. The lower end of the detent is inclined to ride over the lug 111 and depresses the same to release the rod 91 which is quickly retracted by its spring 93 to permit the contacts 49 and 50 to disengage. As the mounting member 113 is adjustable on the carriage, the exact time at which the dog 104 is tripped may be readily varied to insure the circuit of the motor remaining closed until the proper instant.

At the completion of the record which has been deposited on the turntable in the manner hereinbefore described, the tone arm 57 closes the contacts 49 and 50 and again starts the motor 30 and releases the magnetic brake. As the carriage starts its forward stroke it picks up the record 13 on the turntable by means of a 'pivoted shoe 115 caried by thev partition 15 at a central point which engages the underside of the adjacent periphery of the record and raises it over the partition 15 as illustrated in dotted lines in Figures 2 and 8.

To protect the surface of the records as theyare slid over the partition 15, the top edge thereof is inclined downwardly towards the center as shown in Figure 8 so that only the outer periphery of the records rests on the partition. The periphery of the record opposite the point at which the shoe 115 engages it abuts a stop 116 which holds the record stationary so that further movement of the carriage causes the partition 15 to ride underneath the partially raised record which in this manner is deposited on top of the stack of records being carried by the carriage, an arm 117 fixed to the carriage directing the record onto the stack.

The stop 116 consists of a substantially U shaped mounting member 118 secured to the base by a screw 119 or the like and having a movable member 120 which provides the stop proper and substantially encloses member 118. The member 120 is preferably formed of bendable metal to substantially U shape and has a stud 121 connecting its outer ends which stud extends through an elongated slot 122 in the lower arm of the member 118 to provide a guide. A contractile spring 123, having one end fixed to the member 120 andits other end to the mounting member 118, maintains the member 120 with its closed end engaging the member 118. The lower arm of the member 118 in which the slot 122 is formed, preferably extends beyond the adjacent edge of the member 120 to support the adjacent periphery of the records as they are removed fromthe turntable.

The arms of the member 118 are spaced apart a distance to accommodate the partition 15 when the carriage is at the end of its forward stroke as illustrated in Figure 3, and the pivoted shoe 115 rides into the recess between the arms. The movable member 120 is moved by the partition 15 against the action of its spring123, and moves back to its normal position as the carriage is retracted to position its edge against which the record abuts as it is picked up by the shoe 115, spaced slightly from the periphery of a record on the turntable.

block 124 suitably secured to the base and pro vided with a bore in which the coil 125 of the brake is positioned. The outer end of the blockhas a transverse slot 126 in communication with the bore and in which a, stop lever 127 is movable, being pivoted to the block, as at 128. An expansile spring 129 positioned in the tubular core of the coil normally yieldably urges the lever 127 outwardly of the block and into the path of a blade 130 carried by the drive pulley 2'7. Upon energization of the coil 125 of the brake, the lever 127 which constitutes the armature is attracted to the core and out of the path of the blade 130 to permit free and unobstructed rotation of the drive pulley.

I claim:

1. In combination with a turntable, a carriage carrying a plurality of records insuperimposed relation, means for mounting the carriage for movement across the turntable, and means whereby a record is deposited on the turntable by the movement of the carriage.

2. In combination with a turntable adapted to receive a record, a carriage carrying a plurality of records in superimposed relation, means for mounting the carriage for movement across the turntable, means for moving the carriage across the turntable, and means for depositing one of the carriage carried records on the turntable as the carriage moves across the turn-table.

3. In combination with a'turntable adapted to receive arecord, means for moving a plurality of stacked records as a unit transversely over the turntable to deposit one record on the turntable.

4. In combination with a turntable adapted to receive a record, means for carrying a plurality of records in superimposed relation, and means whereby said record carrying means moves over the turntable in a plane substantially parallel with the face of the turntable to deposit a record thereon.

5. In a device of the character described, a. member adapted to receive a record, means for moving a stack of records over the record receiving member, means for removing a record on said the carriage member and placing it on top of the stack of records, and means whereby the lowermost record of the stack is retained on said member as 'the stack moves over the member.

6. In a device of the character described hav a turntable and a tone arm, a member movable in a horizontal plane to and from a position over the turntable and carrying a plurality of records, means whereby one of said records is deposited onto the turntable as the member moves thereover, means actuated by the tone arm for causing the member to again move over the turntable, and means whereby the member removes the record on the turntable and deposits another thereon as it moves over the turntable the second time.

"7. In a device of the character described having a turntable adapted to receive a record, a carriage carrying a plurality of records, means supporting the carriage for movement to and from a position over the turntable in a plane substantially parallel with the face of the turntable, means for moving the carriage, and means for depositing one of the carriage carried records onto the tumtable as it is moved thereover.

8. In a device of the character described having 'a turntable, a carriage, means for carrying a stack of records on the carriage, means for moving the carriage over the turntable, and means whereby a record on the turntable is removed therefrom and placed on the top of the carriage carried stack of records and the lower record of the stack deposited onto thetur-ntable as the carriage is moved thereover.

9. In a device of the character described, a turntable adapted to receive a record, a tone arm for playing a record on the turntable, a carriage carrying a stack of records, means mounting the carriage for movement over the turntable, means for moving the carriage, a drive motor for said means, an electric circuit including the drive motor, a switch adapted'to be actuated by the tone arm to close the circuit of the motor to move the carriage over the turntable, means whereby a record on the turntable is picked up by the canriage in its movement and one of the stack of records carried by the carriage is deposited on the tumtable, and means carried by the carriage for opening the switch to stop the drive motor whenthe' carriage reaches its normal position. 10. In a device of the character described, a

a tone arm, a carriage carrying a stack of records, means mounting the carriage for movement o'ver the turntable, means for moving the carriage, a drive motor for said means, an electric circuit including the drive motor, a switch adapted to be actuated by the'tone arm to close the circuit of the motor to move the carriage over the turntable, means whereby a record on the turntable is picked up by the carriage in its movement and one of the stack of records carried by the carriage is deposited on the turntable, means carried by the carriage for opening the switch to stop the drive motor when the carriage reaches its normal the carriage'at the propertime.

11. In a device of the character described, a turntable adapted to-receive a record, atone arm, a movable carriage carrying a stack of records, means whereby the carriage is movable transversely over the turntable to deposit a record thereon, and means for moving the tone arm out of the pathof the carriage as it moves over the turntable.

I5 12. In a device of turntable adapted to receive a. record and havingposition, and a brake for insuring the stopping of the character described, a

movable carriage having a partition which is movable under a record, and means whereby only the periphery of the record engages the partition duuring said movement.

13. In a device of the character described, a movable carriage having a partition which 'is movable under a record, the top edge of the partition being downwardly inclined from the ends of the partition towards the center thereof whereby only the periphery of the record engages the partition during said movement.

14. In a device of the character described, a member adapted to receive a record, means for moving a stack of records bodily across the record receiving member, means for removing a record on said member' and applying it to said stack, and means for removing a record from said stack and applying it to said member.

15. The combination with a phonograph, of a record carrier, a plurality of records carried by said carrier, means for moving the record carrier to and beyond axial registration with the turntable, means for successively disengaging the lowermost record from the carrier to drop at the end of each reproduction onto the turntable, means. for swinging the carrier out of registration with the turntable as the record is doffed, and means brought into action by any abnormal movements of the tone-arm to render the carrier moving means operative to swing the carrier to position to dofi a record and back again to initial position.

16. The combination with a phonograph, of a record carrier, a plurality of records carried by said carrier, means for moving the record carrier to and beyond axial registration with the turntable, means for successively disengaging the lowermost record from the carrier to drop at the end of each reproduction ontothe. turntable, means for swinging the carrier out of registration with the turntable as the record is doifed, and means brought into action by any increase over normal playing speed of the tone-arm-to renderrthe carrier moving means operative to 3 swing the carrier to position to dofi a record and 120 back again to initial position.

position adjacent the turntable, said magazine having an opening in its bottom, means for delivering a record fromthe tumtable to the magazine and means for dislodging a record from the magazine through'said open bottom onto the turntable during part of each. to andfro movement of the magazine.

18.In a device of the character described, a turntable, a magazine movable to and from position adjacent'the' turntable, mechanism for removinga record from the turntable and deliv-" ering it into the magazine, and mechanism for dislodging a record from the magazine onto the turntable; both of said mechanisms acting toperform their functionsduring a-single to and fro movement of the magazine.

19. In a device of the character described, a

sition adjacent the tumtable, and means for transferring a record from theturntable to the magazine and from the magazine to theturntable both during the same cycle of movements of the magazine to and from its position adjacent the turntable. v CARL SCHWARTZ.

'turntable, a magazine movable to and from po- 

